纷纷 (fēn fēn) — (adverb) one after another; in succession; in g…

Definition

纷纷 emphasizes many things or people acting in rapid succession, often with a sense of disorder or excitement (e.g., 雪花纷纷飘落). For a calmer 'one by one' use 陆续 or 逐一; for 'diverse/many kinds' use 多样.

adverb

one after anotherin successionin great numbers

adjective

numerous and diversemixed (e.g., 议论纷纷)

Examples

，纷纷。
Huì yì jié shù hòu, dà jiā fēn fēn lí kāi le.
After the meeting ended, everyone left one after another.
纷纷。
Xuě huā fēn fēn piāo luò xià lái.
Snowflakes float down one after another.
，纷纷。
Kè táng shàng, tóng xué men fēn fēn fā yán.
In class, the students spoke up one after another.

Origin

Reduplicated word

构词法gòucífǎ

重叠chóngdiéReduplication

A syllable said twice — for affection, for softness, or simply because that is how the word is said.

纷fēnnumerous

The same 纷 appears twice, giving the sense of many things coming one after another or in profusion.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 紛; 纷 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mì

Sound part声符shēngfú

分

分fēn紛fēn

Same sound today

The form 紛 is built from 糸, a meaning part, and 分, a sound part.

Open 纷 →